Bulletin (Northwest Public Power Association) articles from December 2003

Bulletin (Northwest Public Power Association) archives from December 2003

A look back at public power.(Association News)
December 1, 2003... 50 Years Ago Fourteen NWPPA trustees and a record volume of work marked the winter meeting of the NWPPA Board of Trustees. The Legislative and Public Power Committee met the day previous to prepare 37 recommendations for Board...

Pole structures conference: addresses utility and telecommunications industry.(Association News)
December 1, 2003... The 2003 Utility Pole Structures Conference and Trade Show was held November 5-6 in Reno, Nev. Western Energy Institute and Northwest Public Power Association co-promoted the event, which is held every other year. This year's event welcomed not...

Alaska's Electric Utility Conference inspires attendees.(Association News)
December 1, 2003... Chock-full of good information touching engineering, generation, operations, safety and the environment, the 2003 Alaska's Electric Utility Conference delivered everything it promised. In the opening session of the conference, a panel of...

BPA's proposed settlement: short-term and short-sighted?(Point)
December 1, 2003... As Snohomish County PUD's Board of Commissioners, we recently acted to do what's fundamentally right for our customers and the region over the long term--we rejected a seriously flawed and unfair settlement proposal from the Bonneville Power...

Members of public power should seriously consider BPA settlement proposal.(Counter Point)
December 1, 2003... Our Northwest economy continues to languish. While other regions of the country show some signs of economic recovery, Oregon leads the nation in unemployment, followed closely by Washington and Idaho. Quality of life seems to be eroding as more...

People Power 2003!(Association News)
December 1, 2003... People Power has been active and involved with its consumer-owned utilities in 2003. At last count 94 utilities are participating in the regional grassroots program to defend our affordable power supply. These utilities represent more than...

Executive director's report.
December 1, 2003... Dear Members, As the year draws to an end, all of us here at NWPPA thank you for supporting the Association throughout 2003 and wish you a very happy and safe holiday season! It has been our pleasure to work with all of you throughout...

Two-day class proves succession planning is a hot topic.(Human Resources)
December 1, 2003... Representatives from six NWPPA member utilities met for two days in Vancouver, Wash. to learn about the goals and benefits of planning for the coming wave of retirements by utility employees. They learned how this process, known as succession...

Leadership from within: a succession management leadership development program.(Policy Making & Management)
December 1, 2003... Chelan County PUD (Wenatchee, Wash.) is unique in that it hosts the nation's second-largest nonfederal, customer-owned hydroelectric generating system. It's not unique, however, in that it is dealing with succession management--just like...

Hold these dates for an important spring workshop.(Power Supply & Risk Management)
December 1, 2003... Workshop highlights: * Future Power Supply Commitments of BPA and WAPA and Their Implications * Overview of Western U.S. Power and Natural Gas Markets * Report on the Status of RFP's for Power Supply * Resource Options to...

Getting a grip: on utility work injuries and safety training.(Safety)
December 1, 2003... Are you satisfied that your organization's safety training is compliant and addressing all the critical issues? Is your safety compliance training doing a good job reducing incident and accident occurrences? How do you know? We have heard...

Seattle Mayor announces nomination of new City Light superintendent.(Member News)
December 1, 2003... Seattle City Mayor Greg Nickels recently announced he has nominated veteran corporate and public sector utilities leader Jorge Carrasco for superintendent of Seattle City Light. Nickels selected Carrasco after an extensive 7-month nationwide...

Sugden announces retirement from Franklin PUD.(Member News)
December 1, 2003... Ken Sugden, manager of Franklin PUD (Pasco, Wash.) since 1988, will retire next month. In retirement from Franklin PUD, Sugden will accept the post of general manager at Flathead Electric Cooperative (Kalispell, Mont.). Sugden has been...

Franklin PUD employee wins WPUDA award.(Member News)
December 1, 2003... Franklin PUD Energy Services Specialist Todd Blackman was awarded the 2003 William T. Elmgren Public Service Award from the Washington Public Utility Districts Association. The award pays tribute to the more than 50 years of public service...

Douglas PUD gets upgrade in bond rating.(Member News)
December 1, 2003... Moody's Investors Service upgraded the rating of Wells Project Revenue Bonds to Aa2 from Aa3. This upgrade comes on the eve of the pricing of the Wells Hydroelectric Project bonds on Thursday. The factors considered in the upgrade of the...

Energy Northwest and Hometown Connections present AMR.(Member News)
December 1, 2003... There's no better time to build your AMR Capabilities. In today's utility world, we have to be more productive and reduce costs whenever possible. Correctly reading customer meters is key to our business, and your utility can gain...

Jack Criswell.(We Remember)
December 1, 2003... Springfield (Ore.) Utility Board's long-time general manager, Jack Criswell, passed away on November 11. He was 89 years old. Hired in 1959 to succeed SUB's first general manager, Frank Brown, Criswell guided the utility for 21 years. ...

Evelyn True.(We Remember)
December 1, 2003... Columbia REA (Dayton, Wash.) board member Evelyn True passed away on November 1, at age 76. She lost a brief bout with cancer. Evelyn had served on the board for 15 years since being elected on April 16, 1988. Thomas H. Husted, Columbia REA...

Richard Webster.(We Remember)
December 1, 2003... Ohop Mutual Light Company has lost one of its directors, Richard "Dick" Webster, who passed away very suddenly on November 7. Dick served on the Ohop Board of Directors from April 1999 until present. He was a very caring board member and...

Roy Miller.(We Remember)
December 1, 2003... Lakeview (Wash.) Light and Power director Roy Miller passed away on November 16, 2003. He was born on March 1, 1922 in Bangs, Texas has resided in Lakewood, Wash. since 1948. Roy was survived by his wife, Laurel Dot; his two sons, Ronnie...

Harvey Warnaca.(We Remember)
December 1, 2003... Harvey Warnaca, a former Mason County PUD No. 3 commissioner passed away at his Shelton, Wash., home on November 19. Harvey served on the board of commissioners from 1983-98. He'd been elected to his position during the challenges presented...

Associate Member profiles.(Associate Member News)
December 1, 2003... Electrical Consultants, Inc. R.L. McComish 3521 Gabel Road Billings, MT 59102-7307 Phone: (406) 259-9933 Fax: (406) 259-3441 E-mail: dick.mccomish@eciblgs.com Providing professional consulting services in the...

Welcome new Associate Members.(Associate Member News)
December 1, 2003... AMC Engineers pcusi@amc-engineers.com www.amc-engmeers.com Itron john.hengesh@itron.com www.itron.com GeoEngineers, Inc. dcarlisle@geoengineers.com www.geoenegineers.com NCDCS, Inc. miewulis@ncdcs.com www.ncdcs.com H2 Pre-Cast...

Iowa values board makes investment in Professional Computer Systems.(Associate Member News)
December 1, 2003... Professional Computer Systems, Co. (PCS) of Denison, Iowa will receive a $329,000 investment from the Iowa Values Fund to bring out a new generation of software for utilities in the United States and overseas. The Iowa Values Fund Board...

Caballero joins McKaig Evergreen as outside salesman.(Associate Member News)
December 1, 2003... McKaig Evergreen, Inc. has announced the addition of Adam Caballero to its sales and marketing staff. He will be working out of the MEI Bothell office as an outside salesman. Caballero has worked as a regional manager in the utility...

E.J. Brooks adds a complete line of solid brass padlocks.(Technology Marketplace)
December 1, 2003... E. J. Brooks Company has added a complete selection of precision-crafted solid brass, tumbler-pin padlocks to its line of security products. Brooks' corrosion-resistant padlocks are designed to withstand inclement weather and are available with...

Energy bill dead for 2003--revived in 2004?(Washington D.C. Report)
December 1, 2003... Just before adjourning for the year, Congress tried but failed to pass a comprehensive energy bill that included significant changes in federal electricity policy. Despite strong support from the White House and the Republican leadership in the...

Cordova Electric: good corporate citizens & stewards of the environment.(Cover Story)
December 1, 2003... In a land where towering ice-blue glaciers push down the foothills of the Chugach Mountains emptying into the Copper River Valley, Cordova Electric has turned nature into power at Power Creek. Need for Lower Cost Power Cordova's...